Над пропастью во ржи

           Shekepttellinghimtositstillandbehavehimself.Shewasaboutaskindheartedasagoddamwolf.Youtakesomebodythatcriestheirgoddameyesoutoverphonystuffinthemovies,andninetimesoutoftenthey’remeanbastardsatheart.I’mnotkidding.

           Afterthemoviewasover,IstartedwalkingdowntotheWickerBar,whereIwassupposedtomeetoldCarlLuce,andwhileIwalkedIsortofthoughtaboutwarandall.Thosewarmoviesalwaysdothattome.Idon’tthinkIcouldstanditifIhadtogotowar.Ireallycouldn’t.Itwouldn’tbetoobadifthey’djusttakeyououtandshootyouorsomething,butyouhavetostayintheArmysogoddamlong.That’sthewholetrouble.MybrotherD.B.wasintheArmyforfourgoddamyears.Hewasinthewar,too—helandedonD-Dayandall—butIreallythinkhehatedtheArmyworsethanthewar.Iwaspracticallyachildatthetime,butIrememberwhenheusedtocomehomeonfurloughandall,allhedidwaslieonhisbed,practically.Hehardlyeverevencameinthelivingroom.Later,whenhewentoverseasandwasinthewarandall,hedidn’tgetwoundedoranythingandhedidn’thavetoshootanybody.Allhehadtodowasdrivesomecowboygeneralaroundalldayinacommandcar.HeoncetoldAllieandIthatifhe’dhadtoshootanybody,hewouldn’t’veknownwhichdirectiontoshootin.HesaidtheArmywaspracticallyasfullofbastardsastheNaziswere.IrememberAllieonceaskedhimwasn’titsortofgoodthathewasinthewarbecausehewasawriteranditgavehimalottowriteaboutandall.HemadeAlliegogethisbaseballmittandthenheaskedhimwhowasthebestwarpoet,RupertBrookeorEmilyDickinson.AlliesaidEmilyDickinson.Idon’tknowtoomuchaboutitmyself,becauseIdon’treadmuchpoetry,butIdoknowit’ddrivemecrazyifIhadtobeintheArmyandbewithabunchofguyslikeAckleyandStradlaterandoldMauriceallthetime,marchingwiththemandall.